Systems are known for saturating a liquid with a gas in a variety of applications. For example, a variety of fuel systems for introducing a fuel/air mixture into an internal combustion engine are known. Some internal combustion engines include a carburetor in which a liquid fuel is vaporized in a fixed or variable venturi as air from the atmosphere is fed through the venturi, drawing the vaporized fuel into the intake manifold and cylinders of the engine. Modern gasoline and diesel engines include a fuel injection system in which fuel is injected directly into a combustion chamber under high pressure and a spark does not ignite the fuel. Typically, air is drawn into the combustion chamber and compressed prior to injection of the fuel into the chamber. Fuel injection systems have also been adapted for use with conventional spark-ignition internal combustion engines to improve the fuel efficiency of the engines.
Other conventional carburetor-type fuel systems facilitate bubbling of air through a liquid fuel in order to vaporize the fuel. Rather than saturating the fuel with air or oxygen, however, these systems vaporize the liquid in the air. In some fuel systems, gases are fed into a carburetor at the same time a hydrocarbon fuel is vaporized in the carburetor.
In some applications, liquids have been saturated with gases such as carbon dioxide to form soda water or to increase the gas content in malt drinks such as beer. Saturated liquids, however, must be maintained under pressure until just prior to use to maintain the gases in a saturated state in the liquids. A need remains for a system and method which overcome the drawbacks of conventional systems and methods that saturate a liquid with a gas.